BIL. TITLE PAGE
1. 2.1 INTRODUCTION 2
2. 2.2 PRINCIPLES OF SPACE 3
3. 2.3 CASE STUDY BACKGROUND
4. 2.3.1 VILLA SAVOYE (LE CORBUSIER) 4-7
5. 2.3.2 ROBIE HOUSE (FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT) 8-10
6. 2.4 DISCUSSION AND SYNTHESIS-THEORY OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE ON BUILDING 11-12
7. 2.5 CONCLUSION 13
8. 2.6 REFERENCES 14
MASTER BUILDERS ARCHITECTURAL THEORY; Frank Lloyd Wright & Le Corbusier
1. THEORY AND HISTORY OF
ARCHITECTURE
DOCUMENTATION OF MASTER BUILDERS ARCHITECTURAL THEORY
MIRRA NAZIRA BINTI YAHYA AZMUDDIN
SBEA 2015/2016
AB15BE0082
2ND ASSIGNMENT
DR. HAZRINA HAJA BAVA MOHIDIN
2. 1
CONTENT
BIL. TITLE PAGE
1. 2.1 INTRODUCTION 2
2. 2.2 PRINCIPLES OF SPACE 3
3. 2.3 CASE STUDY BACKGROUND
4. 2.3.1 VILLA SAVOYE (LE CORBUSIER) 4-7
5. 2.3.2 ROBIE HOUSE (FRANK LLOYD
WRIGHT)
8-10
6. 2.4 DISCUSSION AND SYNTHESIS-
THEORY OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE
ON BUILDING
11-12
3. 2
7. 2.5 CONCLUSION 13
8. 2.6 REFERENCE 14
2.1 INTRODUCTION
The transition of modernisation of Traditional Architecture occurred and Modern
Architecture begins where modern architecture started to spark in the middle of 19th century
and is officially occurred in German during the 20th century. Some of the factors that
affecting the occurrence of the modern architecture are; Industrial revolution that cause the
technology to get advance rapidly, and also causing the high demand of houses as the people
started to move to the urbanized place that result the born of more architects to fulfil the
demands in designing more efficient building using advanced technology such as steel, cast
iron and bricks.
We are living in the 21st century version of modern architecture, where nowadays we
can see a lot of buildings that are being designed with I’d say deconstruction style and one of
the most famous architect in the 21st century is Zaha Hadid, she designs a lot of buildings
4. 3
with curves that people call her by the name of ‘’queen of curve’’, and buildings that are only
can be built , thanks to modern and advance technology that we have today.
The chosen architects in this assignment are Frank Lloyd Wright, his chosen work is
the famous Robie House and Le Corbusier for his Villa Savoye work, whom both are the
master builders of modern architecture.
2.2 PRINCIPLES OF SPACE
Space is technically a 3 dimensional field where the objects are in some ways are
connected and related in the positions and the directions. Principles of space are generally are
5. 4
divided into different types of specification which some of it are; configuration of plane
elements in space, openings of space, organization of space and circulation through space.
Space is ascertained through the configuration of plane elements in space; horizontal
plane which can be arranged by placing it as base plane that is define as simple field of space,
as elevated base plane, depressed base planned and overhead plane. Vertical place; vertical
linear, single vertical, enclosed vertical and parallel vertical.
Opening space, an opening space is located within a wall or ceiling plane that appears
contrast to the background. There are also several ways of it being placed; within planes, at
the corner and between planes.
Organization of space, where two spaces may be connected in some basic ways; space
within a space, where a space may contain within larger space or within the volume.
Interlocking space, where the field of space may overlap the volume of another space which
in other word as sharing the overlap space. Adjacent spaces where two spaces share the same
border and last but not least, Spaces linked by a common space.
Circulation of space can be defined by the way of approaching the building, entrance
to the building, configuration of path, relationship between path and space.
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2.3 CASE STUDY BACKGROUND
2.3.1 VILLA SAVOYE (LE CORBUSIER)
Born as Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, Le Corbusier, well known architect, designer,
painter, urban planner and the pioneer of modern architecture was born on October 6th 1889
in Switzerland and died on august 27th 1965. He is off Swiss and France nationality. At the
age of 14, he qualified to enter Ecole d’Art at La Chaux-de-Fonds which is a kind of
technical school which became the place of one of major influence in Le Corbusier’s life
throughout his younger years. His teacher; L’Eplattenier who he described as ‘a fascinating
teacher…. a master who opened to me the gateway to the world of art, with him, we lost
ourselves in the art of all ages and of all lands’ influenced Corbu’s early house designs.
Le Corbusier spent a lot of time travelling across Europe and other countries to
expand his architectural point of view. When travels to Italy in 1906, it was his first
introduction to the plasticity of white stucco forms in the bright sun, seen against the
Mediterranean sky while Austria is where he was first introduced to Art Nouveau movement
in general and to the architect Josef Hoffman in particular. Corbu worked for Hoffman for
short space of time in 1908 although the agreement suggests a more permanent arrangement
but Corbu made excuses. Despite being only in his twenties, it was clear to him that Art
Nouveau which characterized Hoffman’s work, was not for him and Le Corbusier went to
Paris for his first extended visit.
7. 6
Villa Savoye
Villa Savoye located at Poissy, France is one of the famous building design by Le
Corbusier with modernist architectural style built in 1929 and completed in 1931. Le
Corbusier is well known with his architectural approach; the usage of platonic forms and
space, his description that building is a ‘machine for living’, the usage of ‘modular system’
that he created and his popular theory of 5 points of New Architecture that he developed.
Le Corbusier’s modular system
The outer exterior of Villa Savoye is white which indicates purity, simplicity, and
health. Villa Savoye also located far from the city and is designed like floating box. The ramp
is placed from the entrance up to the salon, a formal interior space flows coherently into the
roof garden outside. The ramp and cylinder of solarium or a room with glass as the roof
8. 7
indicates the form of the ocean that brings the Villa Savoye close to nature in a very stunning
view of it.
Villa Savoye is well known Le Corbusier’s design that is based on his 5 points of
New Architecture which are;
Pilotis, which is reinforced concrete column as the replacement of supportive walls
that make the Villa Savoye seems to be raised up to the sky by some giant hand. The
existence of the pilotis also are intentionally used so that vehicles can be parked under the
building and for the grass or green to keep growing in order to preserve nature around the
Villa Savoye.
The free designing ground plan, with the absence of the walls, the construction is no
longer limited as its design process becomes free too, where the partitions in the building can
be freely arranged.
The free design of façade, that separated the exterior of the building from its structure
function that gives freedom to their design as well. In other words, relieving it of its structural
function.
The horizontal windows, are the effect of free façade as the entrance is located under
the main structure or the pilotis. The horizontal window which cuts the façade along its
overall length that provides optimum daylight in the rooms equally.
Roof gardens on a flat roof, while bringing nature close to the house, it is also
purposely design to provide essential protection to the concrete roof so that the flat concrete
roof is not entirely exposed to the sunlight or rain water that can decrease the strength of the
concrete roof.
Platonic forms or platonic solid is actually Plato’s philosophy of essentialism
attempted to bring objective truths to what he saw as relative and subjective experiences.
9. 8
It can clearly be seen that Le Corbusier applied the cube form in his Villa Savoye
design. Platonic solid design in architecture meant , when people see the structure they will
immediately know what type of shape it is, whether it is triangular shaped, rectangular shaped
and of course cubic shaped that is well fit to the environment, even Roman architect;
Vitruvias Pollia believed that a building that is based on this man’s geometry would achieve
universal appealing. Not to forget, Le Corbusier too, believed that a universal instrument is
easy to be created and can still has its own uniqueness and its own beauty that is rationally
proportions of everything produced by man. Le Corbusier also described ‘range of
harmonious measurements to suit the human scale, universally applicable to architecture and
to mechanical things’.
10. 9
2.3.2 ROBIE HOUSE (FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT)
Frank Lloyd Wright was born in the 1860’s an American who in his younger
days was influenced by his mother who enrolled him of Froebelian play school style at their
house that caused Wright to have an immediate tangible acquaintance with shapes. Wright
sees nature when he helped his uncle at the farm, Wright started to appreciate nature and saw
nature as a great teacher.
Wright’s father left him when he was only a teenager which makes him to think that
he has a great responsibility to his family. He became an apprentice to Allen Conover where
he experienced to be a supervisor of construction on several jobs while at the same time part
time studying Civil Engineering at University Of Wisconsin and left Conover’s office after 2
years of study and apprenticeship Wright went to Chicago when he is not more than 18 years
of age.
His uncle, Reverend Jenkin Lloyd-Jones had commissioned a well-known Chicago
architect, Lyman Silsbee. Wright later worked Silsbee for just less than a year but gave
Wright a good influence upon him. Wright later worked at Adler & Sullivan with first task of
designing Chicago Auditorium that introduced Wright to Art Nouveau (Sullivan concept of
ornament) where artist tried to find a new ‘’honesty’’ in design and saw in the forms of
nature a complete set of principles which, if followed would inevitably lead to this new
honesty in expression. Working at Adler & Sullivan also marked Wright’s beginning of being
a great architect of all time.
11. 10
ROBIE HOUSE
Frederick C. Robie House or as known as Robie House was actually being
built for Frederick C. Robie a young businessman, intentionally for a house nowadays the
United States National Historic Landmark, located on the campus of University of Chicago in
Chicago, Illinois. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and being built between 1908 and
1910 with Prairie style of Architecture at an original cost of approximately $55,000 (over
$1.4 million today).
Before Frederick C. Robie hiring Frank Lloyd Wright as the architect to design his
house, he did not even know who Wright actually was because he was a man who of lots of
idea who wanted his house to be filled with lots of natural lights, be able to look out around
his neighbourhood but does not want to be seen or looked at, at the same time. He started to
tell people about his dream house design that people suggested him to hire Frank Lloyd
Wright as the architect who will fulfil his desire.
Frank Lloyd Wright is famous with his architectural style and theory where he used
Prairie Style, cubism, organic architecture where he began to see through the tracery of
Sullivan’s ornament at the Auditorium (while working at Adler & Sullivan) and saw through
it a great architectural truth, and organic primitive in most of his building designs. Robie
12. 11
House on the other hand, is one of the famous building that is being built by using the Prairie
style approach.
Prairie Style is famous in architecture design around the world especially in north-
central Europe and Australia but has its roots at Chicago, Illinois. Prairie style of architecture
can be known by its horizontal lines, flat or hipped roof with broad eaves, windows placed
horizontally, solid construction and a very restrict rules in the decorating.
Robie House is a clear example of Prairie style of architecture where Frank Lloyd
Wright design it in horizontal lines that creates delicate balance of private and exposed space
to shield the residents from outsiders with low proportions, quiet and peaceful skyline. Robie
House also designed with outreaching walls for private garden for the residents, open planes
of rooms that flow into each other that creates a wide area. The horizontality also was
Wright’s response not only to the earth and the things that grew out of the earth but also to
the great spaces of America that would extend from the centre of the house out and lead the
eye toward a long horizon as the corner lot is three times long as its wide.
Robie House is also one of the first residences house to use steel beams in its design,
the steel beams were purposely and necessary to create the cantilevered balconies, which
appear to be suspended in mid-air.
Ribbons of windows that Wright designed were to fulfil his client desire to have a
natural light to flow in the building and not artificial lights. The clear glass composed in
pattern of flatten diamonds shape and diagonal geometry gives and evoke floral forms and
echoing the plants and the form of the building, Wright also chose a dynamic balance
between transparent and enclosure.
On the exterior, tons of bricks and lime stone anchor the house to the earth with
overhanging eaves and cantilever roofs shelter the residents. Through his use of various types
of materials, Wright chose a great and remarkable balance of forms and colours that are well
balanced with each other.
The expanse living space at the centre of the house is one of the great masterpiece of
20th century architecture. The light fell open is breath taking in its simplicity. A single room
comprising the living dining space is only divided by a central chimney.
13. 12
2.4 DISCUSSION AND SYNTHESIS- THEORY OF MODERN
ARCHITECTURE ON BUILDING
Modern architecture started to spark in the middle of 19th century. Modern
architecture still developing day by day. Modernism in architecture is often associated with
steel-and-glass rectilinear boxes, and poured concrete used as a steel substitute, but yet, most
buildings nowadays are built with much more advanced technology with unique designs that
is unlimited and sometimes unthinkable for some people.
Above all, there are 5 main theory of modern architecture; theory of proportions, organic
architecture, form follows function, theory of style and theory of communication.
Theory of proportions are golden ratio, classical orders, renaissance theories, modular, ken,
anthropometry and scale. Architectural proportion is to strike the balance between these
extremes, creating an interesting visible order by the repetition of similar shapes. Le
Corbusier’s modular system is one of the famous theory of how proportions work. Le
Corbusier applied the theory of proportion in designing Villa Savoye where he used Golden
Section and human proportion so that the Villa Savoye is visually balanced in its own way.
Organic architecture is founded by none other than Frank Lloyd Wright himself. This theory
of architecture thought us that designing in building will be much interesting if it is well
connected or related to the surrounding. This theory helps architects to appreciate nature and
not just design a concrete building that has no aesthetic values and is a stranger to the earth
itself. Frank Lloyd Wright loved to use this theory in designing his building and it can also be
seen in Robie House where he used the brown colour of the exterior building indicates to the
colour of ground, the multiples components such as doors and windows also indicates nature
where they represents the landscape and plant life of the Midwest prairie of the USA.
Form follows functions is in general, a building which is designed specifically to its function.
Famous architects also used this theory in their design and even shaped it into their own
theory which are Lois Sullivan: aesthetic, Le Corbusier: machine and Mies Van Der Rohe:
structure.
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Theory of style, is the application of natural or original which are used due the climates such
as houses in Malaysia where the roof are with certain angles so that the rain water can easily
flow down, due to its culture such as church where some church are purposely design like the
church back in the gothic era so that people can easily recognize the church and also due to
its landscape. Le Corbusier used original shape of cubism as his style in designing Villa
Savoye.
Theory of communication in buildings design by some architects sometimes have its own
message that sometimes is hidden. Some architects use this theory in their design for their
clients that demands to show their power, wealth and whatnot. A clear example is the
Buckhingham Palace that is based on the neoclassical architecture is built and designed
specifically for the British Monarchy. It can be seen that the palace is very huge with its rich
decorative in the interior building, The Buckingham Palace is also furnished and decorated
with priceless works of art from the Royal Collection; the paintings are placed on the walls of
the curving marble stairs of the Grand Staircase and are still set as they were by Queen
Victoria to represent their power as the highest ruler in the United Kingdom.
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2.5 CONCLUSION
What I’ve learned from this assignment are, modern architecture is not only designing a
building that has no meaning or just using an advanced technology or even designing the
building with weird forms and whatnot, but we also have to consider many aspects in order to
design a good modern building, also to be a great modern architecture we have to consider
the five main theories which are theories of proportion, organic architecture, form follows
functions, theory of style and theory of communication.
The transition from traditional architecture to modern architecture made me realized that,
architecture building design goes with the flow following its era. We can see clearly that
early architecture designs before entering the modern, they tend to build something that fulfil
their basic needs, and we can clearly see what’s the meaning of the building and what it was
built for. But modern architecture, sometimes we have to enter the building to know what the
building is for, that’s what I really like about modern architecture, we have no limits and we
can almost design anything that we desire as long as we consider the main theories of modern
architecture.
Both Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier are great example of modern architect
that somehow a bit differ from each other in terms of their theories in architecture but both
appreciate nature and try to add it in their designs. At the end, designing a building will be
much attractive and better if we appreciate the nature.
